Here's the 2013 Buckeyes, by the numbers

Aug. 23, 2013

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| Associated Press

COLUMBUS — Here’s a look at this season’s Ohio State Buckeyes, by the numbers:

• $4,580,597: A conservative tabulation of how much Urban Meyer will make for coaching Ohio State this season. That figure does not include any academic or performance bonuses (winning a Big Ten division or conference title, playing in a BCS bowl or the national championship game) but does include the university’s $450,000 payment to Meyer just for remaining coach through Jan. 31. The numbers include a $700,000 base salary, $1.8 million under media contracts, $1.4 million from the Nike equipment contract, $14,400 for car leases, $12,848 in football tickets, $1,875 in parking passes for football games, $1,274 for two men’s basketball season tickets and $200 for a parking pass to watch Thad Matta’s team in action.

• $3,100,000: What Ohio State will pay its three non-conference opponents to come to Ohio Stadium this season. Buffalo (Aug. 31) gets $1 million, San Diego State (Sept. 7) gets $1.2 million and Florida A&M (Sept. 21) receives $900,000.

• $1.3 million in 1922 dollars: Cost to build Ohio Stadium.

• 106,102: The largest crowd ever at The Horseshoe, just in 2012 against Nebraska (a 63-38 win).

• 9,922 miles: How far Columbus is from the Geelong, Australia, home of Buckeyes freshman punter Cameron Johnston.

• 3,310 yards: A school record for total offense in a season, by quarterback Braxton Miller in 2012.

• 404: Wins by the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium since its opening (against 109 losses and 20 ties).

• 171: In pounds, the difference in weight between the heaviest Buckeye (defensive lineman Chris Carter at 341 pounds) and the lightest (receivers Devonte Butler and James Clark and cornerback Gareon Conley each weigh 170). Put another way, Carter weighs more than two of the others combined.

• 111: The page number in the online Ohio State football media guide where former coach Jim Tressel’s bio resides. It’s under the “Legends And Greats” section. Tressel is listed third among those legends, behind Woody Hayes and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin. There’s no mention of the NCAA violations which led to his forced departure from the program in 2011. When he appeared at a game at Ohio Stadium during a celebration of the 2002 national championship in 2012, he was lifted on the shoulders of his former players in the end zone as a capacity crowd gave him a loud ovation. The 2012 team, which went 12-0, did not get to play in a bowl game as a result of NCAA sanctions stemming from Tressel’s misdeeds.

• 103 days: The time the Buckeyes had off from their final practice on the eve of the Michigan game in November until they opened official workouts March 5, the earliest documented start to spring practices at the school.

• 47: Number of freshmen and sophomores among the 82 scholarship players on the roster.

• 37.2 points: The Buckeyes’ scoring average in 2012, best in the Big Ten.

• 27: The number of years in coaching for Urban Meyer. He’s 116-23 in 11 years as a head coach at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. He also was a graduate assistant under Earle Bruce at Ohio State in 1986-87. Four of Meyer’s past six teams have finished in the top three in the final Associated Press rankings.

• 25: Consecutive years Ohio State has appeared in the AP’s preseason Top 25 rankings, the longest streak of any school.

• 14: Returning starters for the Buckeyes. That includes nine on offense, four on defense and kicker Drew Basil.

• 6: Starts in his career for H-back Jordan Hall. He sustained a cut foot and injured a knee in 2012, limiting him to three games started. Because of injuries and depth-chart problems, he is being counted on to be a Percy Harvin-type, run-and-catch player for the Buckeyes. Yet he had just 40 carries and three receptions in 2012 — and has only 24 catches for his career.

• 4: The number of night games scheduled so far this season — at California on Sept. 14, Wisconsin at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 28, at Northwestern on Oct. 5 and Penn State at home Oct. 26. Four night games matches the most for a Buckeyes team (2007-08, ’10). Keep in mind if the Buckeyes make it to a major bowl game, it most likely will be at night — and also start times for four other regular-season games have yet to be determined. Ohio State is 36-20 in games starting at 5 p.m. or later at the site; 8-3 at home, 20-9 away and 9-7 at neutral sites.